Is it too late to plan a trip to EU for post-thanksgiving? I have never traveled abroad but I am getting burnt out of my healthcare job and considering getting away for a few weeks. I am considering Prague, Salzburg, and somewhere in Italy/slovenia. Is it possible to wing this kind of thing and just stay at Airbnbs/hostels? I just ordered about 5k euros and was considering just getting a train pass and just going. Feel free to say I'm retarded.
>>2733718Depends on how long you want to go. The trains can be cheap and have sleeper cabins. Use chatgpt to help plan an itinerary and probably keep 25% of your budget free for random shit that pops up. I'm am aussie that spent the last two months in Italy. Now in my 3rd week of eastern europe and then going back to Italy for a final two weeks.. the more south of Italy the cheaper and the more North the more poor. For example i dropped 250 euro in a day to get a train from outside Florence and do the Duomo, boboli gardens, uffizi and another couple museums plus brought my own lunch. Sicily is cheap but dodgy, had someone attempt to rob at the toll booth before driving off. Dolomites is expensive as fuck. Italy is cool though definetly check it out. Florence is expensive and touristy but very good. Naples has character but is dirty. Milan is just like any other city but more modern. You can do both in a day (2 nights accommodation) you wouldnt want to stay long. Monte negro was beautiful. But yeah, you can find bookings it's just coming up to peak season for some cunts around Christmas. Good luck man. Do it.
>>2733718>Is it too late to plan a trip to EU for post-thanksgiving?we don't have thanksgiving herebut assuming you mean november/december then yeah you can still do that>I am considering Prague, Salzburg, and somewhere in Italy/slovenia. if you want christmas markets then prague and salzburg are good but there are better choices than italy or slovenia. for example germany, belgium. here read this https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/best-christmas-markets-holidays-rff27td28>Is it possible to wing this kind of thing and just stay at Airbnbs/hostels? yes but keep in mind that things get more expensive at this time of year>I just ordered about 5k euros and was considering just getting a train pass and just going. Feel free to say I'm retarded.ok you're retardedbut really you'll be ok, just do it and see what happens
>>2733718Oh i forgot to say.. learn Italian or you will be fucked.I've got a gf who is italian so I speak it fairly well now but for eastern europe, downloading the language on google translate for use off-line is helpful. There's e sims to help you have internet abroad. In eastern europe I've got very far with hello, yes, no, thanks, please, another beer. Can I have? Etc people appreciate the effort a lot and even just asking if they can speak English in their language will mean a lot to them, especially because you are a yank, everyone hates you. Learn some words. Practice them, download the language on translate and worse comes to worse you can show your phone with what you want to say. Ah but yeah do Florence. Eastern europe is good too just make sure you have a booking before going or you might be sleeping at a train station. Message the host early and let them know you dont know the language or look for hosts who appear to know english. Should be fine though I've just gone through 4 countries knowing fuck all.
>>2733724The more north the more expensive*
>>2733725>okay you're retardedWhy? Is 5k too little? Too much? I also have a chip card, but I hear some places need cash. What should I know that I don't? Do you recommend like that other anon and using ChatGPT to make an itinerary? Reason I want to stop in Italy is because I have the option to apply for citizenship by descent and wanted to stop at their consulate to get more info - i hear scheduling appointments can have long ass wait times.
>>2733730Aus anon here. 5k will get you through a month easy. Maybe more if you budget very well. Accommodation will be rough though. Maybe find some old family to stay with?Call the consulate dude they speak English and the wait time was nothing for me when i called about visa shit. Dont just "drop in" the bureaucracy is fucked in Italy. Call and email them and get all your affairs in order (birth, marriage, and/or death certificates, verification of naturalisation certificates, then you have to get them translated into italian by a professional service). What would be smarter is to get on a dating app, meet an Italian girl and if you marry and knock her up you half your wait time to become a citizen. Reminder, you must have a B2 level of Italian if you dont go through blood. Peace out dude dont drop in email and call them for fuck sake lol. Pompei in pic, dont do that for 1 day like me it could easily be 2.
>>2733730>>okay you're retarded>Why?dude you told me to say it. i felt compelled>I also have a chip card, but I hear some places need cashthere are a few places that don't take visa and/or mastercard and only accept local cards e.g. some places in netherlands, romania etc. so yeah in those places cash is useful. try to make sure you have reasonable denominations e.g. don't try to pay for a €2 drink in a little shop in a side street with a €200 banknote>Do you recommend like that other anon and using ChatGPT to make an itinerary?that's the popular thing these days but really most of europe is pretty easy to get around and places like prague and salzburg are really popular so you can find lists of things to do etc anywhere
>>2733743>>2733739Thanks for all your help I appreciate it bros. I'm just gonna take the dive and book the cheapest flight to somewhere in the region and start my trip from there. I don't plan on staying a full month, more like 2-3 weeks so i think I'm good on finances. Do you recommend people just pack a single backpack and like a few changes of clothes and do laundry every few days? I kinda feel like with the number of stops, lugging around a suitcase will be a pain in the ass so maybe just a single back pack
>>2733739Have any suggestions for an italian dating app?
>>2733750>Do you recommend people just pack a single backpack and like a few changes of clothes and do laundry every few days? I kinda feel like with the number of stops, lugging around a suitcase will be a pain in the ass so maybe just a single back packif you're only going to a place for a couple of weeks then there's no point wasting hours of that time doing stuff like laundry. take whatever you want, just don't overdo it, you'll be fine. you can buy cheap clothes anywhere if you need to.also suitcases have wheels, you won't be lugging it around all the time anywayi know there are people on here who seem to want to live the life of a medieval ascetic while they are travelling but really the world is meant to be enjoyed
>>2733718>too late to plan a tripno 99% of scenarios u can get a mid priced hotel last minute no matter what unless its like taylor swift concert in town
I've been looking to do a christmas market somewhere. I'm looking at either flying to prague for 3-4 days or crossing the channel and going lille > brest > Brussels, day or so at each .Been to Lille before so know it's a nice place. Will probably be cheaper doing the driving holiday (but it limits the hotels I can stay at)
I'm from Estonia and they keep saying that the Tallinn christmas market is one of the best, albeit a bit small. I've been to the one in Vienna and it was much larger but in a sense less magical
>>2733718Wroclaw is decent.Krakow is generic, and feels like the city knows they don't need to pull the stops out.Wroclaw seem to go all out, potentially to attract German tourists from over the border.
>>2734044>>2734048ChatGPT recommended a bunch of stops in germany like nuremberg and berlin but I imagine those might be pricey and quite busy. I'm definitely interested in more 'hidden gems' as it were. How do the baltics and Poland compare to Germany?
>>2734132>Interested in hidden gems>chatgptlul.
>>2734139yeah that's why I'm asking here I realize chatgpt is gonna spit out the internet consensus
>>2734132Western Europe's done. It's like visiting Rome in its late stages. Perhaps useful to see before it utterly falls to their retarded decisions, and if you like seeing trucks of peace and armed guards everywhere.Poland and the Baltics are by far a better travel experience than Germany.
>>2734146sweet jesus there are some miserable cunts on here today
>>2733718>I just ordered about 5k eurosWhere the fuck can I order some money
>>2733718>>2733718I spent December in Bavaria/Austria last year and it was the best trip I've ever taken. If it was at all possible to do it this year I would and I am doing so next year for certain. Definitely do it 10/10 you will not regret. And don't worry about being hyper specific about which places, there is comparatively very little international travel this time of year in Europe and the Christmas markets and high culture are mainly to serve the locals so it's pretty much a great vibe everywhere. Buy a eurail pass, it gives you the freedom to just hop off your train if you see something interesting out the window as you're pulling into the station knowing you can just take the next train without it costing anything extra. Did this in a town called Rosenheim and had a great time but I never would have got off if I thought it was going to cost me an extra 70 euros. And yeah, just use airbnb for the more planned stops and other than that hostelworld is your friend.
>>2734146get out of here chud
>>2734291just go into a bank and ask for sometake a firearm with you for extra persuasion
USfag going to Vienna in a few weeks for their Christmas markets. What should I know?
>>2734302Curious, may I ask what places you enjoyed? What made it a 10/10 trip?My very favorite one is the christmas market in Kaltenberg. Very magical especially if there is lots of snow. Just too crowded sadly.
>>2734837gluhwein is utterly revolting. avoid itotherwise, you'll be fine. buy lots of chocolate
>>2734044TereI lived there 2012-2014 and I miss hanging about at Mad Murphy's and Highlander. I heard Nimeta is still there
>>2734837Take a day and spend it in Bratislava, then go to Salzburg
>>2734157Bunch of zoomers who have never stepped outside their hometown in their lives.
>>2734914They're all still there and they are pretty much the same as they were 10 years ago. They're pretty comfy places to get a drink in a cold winter's night and pretty easy to meet new people. You should come back to visit.
>>2734146>Poland and the Baltics are by far a better travel experience than Germany.I'm from Poland, visited Germany for tourism dozens of times and you're out of your mind
What are some great cities in the north sea/baltic sea area to go for Christmas that have a good balance between being big enough to have good public transport and also not getting me beat up by dudes trying to make their own caliphateI'm already thinking about a couple of places in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and northern Germany, there are just so many to choose from howeverI already live in southern Germany and I'm usually pretty good at not standing out too badly as an American
>>2734837Austria is based. Extremely safe and easy to get around by public transport. tons of awesome things to see/do in Vienna.I still need to do a proper Christmas there. Maybe next year. But honestly if I'm going to Austria in the winter, nearly all of my time will be skiing.
>>2736152also nearly everyone will speak english. learning what words say on signs in german is about all you really need.
crazy how no one ITT mentioned Budapest yet
>>2733718In the same boat OP.I'm considering Salzburg. I just want to see the Christmas markets, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Eagles Nest, Mozart's birthplace, and go skiing. Plus, apparently there are some brothels there that have been running since the 1500s which would be pretty cool to check out. And to top it all off Austria has a high English proficiency.
>>2737944I'm doing Austria in January. Pretty sure Eagles Nest is closed during winter, so are a lot of the castles / fortresses that are outside major cities, like Hohenwerfen for example. Definitely check to see if stuff is open before you commit to stuff.
I have a question about Austria / Hungary / Czech Republic. How normal is it to go to a restaurant solo? I found it's very normal in East Asia, but I've seen reviews for a few restaurants saying they got turned away when asking for a table for one. I also saw some people say it's common to share a table with strangers when at a restaurant which is unheard of where I live. I'm hoping this is just a peak season thing where they are trying to maximize how many people they are getting into the restaurant during busy times.
>>2737960Damn. Thanks for the heads up. But that still leaves skiing and the Christmas market.
I've actually been to Christmas markets in Prague and Salzburg back in 2022.I was in Prague on the actual day of Christmas, and I was in Salzburg for New Year's. Even though half the stalls were closed in Salzburg (on account of it no longer being Christmas), it still significantly mogged Prague's market.I would definitely recommend visiting the Salzburg Christmas market on actual Christmas (or even earlier, because these markets typically run all month long). If I liked it that much at half capacity, imagine how much better it would be at its peak.Prague had way too many duplicate stalls. Maybe this year will be different, but it was actually annoying to see a roasted chestnut stall right across from another roasted chestnut stall. I wouldn't even be surprised if they were owned by the same entity. I don't recall Salzburg having this issue, at least not to this extent.The Prague market did have a giant Christmas tree on display, but it looked sad and depressing (picrel).
>>2737961>How normal is it to go to a restaurant solo?I don't think this has anything to do with culture so much as the type of restaurant. It's absolutely normal to eat solo if it's casual dining (fast food, diners, cafes, bistros, pubs), and this applies to any country in any continent.I would only expect to be turned away if it was a fine dining restaurant.>I've seen reviews for a few restaurants saying they got turned away when asking for a table for one.I could see that happening if the restaurant is very busy. If there's a line out the door, it makes no sense for one person to occupy a table when they could make more money giving that same table to a group of 4.If the restaurant was not busy at all, then it was probably a fine dining establishment with a particular set of rules, or it could even be a snooty casual establishment that's trying to be better than it actually is.>I also saw some people say it's common to share a table with strangers when at a restaurant which is unheard of where I live.I've seen this in both Europe and Asia, but yeah, also unheard of where I live (North America). It's more likely to happen in casual establishments, and it's hell of a lot better than being turned away. I would much rather sit with strangers than be told to fuck off.
>>2737981Thanks. Hopefully none of that will be a problem in January anyway. I don't plan on going to any high class places, just mid range at most. For me personally I'd rather be told to fuck off than have to make awkward conversation with a stranger.
>>2734302Can I get a eurorail pass in Paris? I'm flying in tomorrow and will arrive at 12pm. Was there cheapest flight and I was planning on taking a train straight to Strasbourg and doing that and Vienna for a few days
>>2736372Yes that's on my list
>>2738017>I'd rather be told to fuck off than have to make awkward conversation with a stranger.You don't actually have to talk to them. If anything, most of them would prefer if you didn't talk to them, and it's very unlikely they'll talk to you. In shared table establishments, it's very normal to ignore your seatmates and have the only person talking to you be the waiter.I've shared many tables with many strangers, and in my decade or so of traveling, not one of them talked to me.
>>2733718I have done trains between prague and napoli. It's a long journey with train switches. You can go through germany or austria. I advise the latter bc munchen station is a mess and german efficiency is a lie. If you go to slovenia you need to train up to the border in italy and then get a bus. For xmas markets try nordics or baltics.
>>2734044I live in Tallinn and went last Saturday during the snow. It's small but delightful.>>2733730>>2738206I see also that you are also looking for citizenship. I did that there and have residence so ask me about it. You need a lot of documents and you need residence there so you need a visa or right to live there and you are better off knowing someone local. All documents must be apostilled and translated and that is notarised. You give them to the local town hall. They read it then add you to the database of residents. Your documents tell them you are already a citizen but not registered in the country yet. Take a photo and get your id. You could apply for a passport but shit if you aren't lucky like I was you won't even get an appointment to apply for many months. And this is done at a police station. You then wait and pick it up at a different office. You go to a lot of places and you need to speak Italian or bring a translator. Good luck
>>2738209What if you're already from the EU?
>>2739888Then what motivates one to bother with the process? In any case you still need residency in the country to do it there. Otherwise do it at your local consulate.
>>2740052>>Then what motivates one to bother with the process?I don't want to live in my shitty EU country and I want to make a new life for myself somewhere else where I could potentially get a real job for real money and eventually free money instead of having to work 24/7 for 3 times less than they get for autismbux in Denmark.
OP died in the attack. RIP.
>>2733718the christmas market at la defense in paris is boss af
>>2733718They're called winter get-togethers you racist chud
